{"id":635,"date":"2017-10-11T14:50:00","date_gmt":"2017-10-11T19:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/awlcorp.com\/?p=635"},"modified":"2017-10-11T14:50:00","modified_gmt":"2017-10-11T19:50:00","slug":"fy17-surge-private-investments-record-cargo-volumes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awlcorp.com\/?p=635","title":{"rendered":"FY17: SURGE OF PRIVATE INVESTMENTS, RECORD CARGO VOLUMES"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GPA\u2019S LYNCH ANNOUNCES 1M SQUARE FEET OF NEW E-COMMERCE WAREHOUSE SPACE<\/h2>\n

Wednesday, October 11, 2017\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal provided opening comments for the Savannah State of the Port event Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, focusing on the state\u2019s world-class logistics network and the business-friendly atmosphere that sets the Peach State apart. (Georgia Ports Authority\/Stephen B. Morton)<\/em><\/p>\n

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Savannah, Ga. \u2013 October 12, 2017 \u2013 \u00a0<\/b>During his annual State of the Port Address, Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch announced record cargo volumes, infrastructure development and two new customers bringing a combined 1 million square feet of additional distribution center space to Savannah.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch delivers his State of the Port address Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. For a summary of Lynch\u2019s presentation, go to www.gaports.com\/stateoftheport. (Georgia Ports Authority\/Stephen B. Morton)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re expanding on all fronts,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cWe\u2019re adding market share through organic growth and the addition of new accounts, and we\u2019re building the new infrastructure necessary to continue processing this cargo with world-class efficiency.\u201d<\/p>\n

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, who attended the event hosted by the Savannah Propeller Club, credited the Authority Board and the GPA team for achieving growth of 8.3 percent in total tonnage across all terminals during Fiscal Year 2017, and doing it safely and without congestion. Savannah handled 3.85 million twenty-foot equivalent units, and Brunswick moved 607,000 auto and machinery units. No other port in the Southeast recorded greater volumes for these commodities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur ports\u2019 outstanding FY17 performance highlights the value these assets bring to economic development throughout Georgia,\u201d Deal said. \u201cGrowing capabilities in Savannah and Brunswick support the expansion of manufacturing and distribution, and the jobs these private developments provide for our citizens.\u201d<\/p>\n

GPA Board Chairman Jimmy Allgood said the success of Georgia\u2019s thriving logistics industry is due to a unified vision of the state\u2019s future.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cLike most enterprises, it starts from the top, with Governor Deal, who has been a tireless champion of our ports and logistics networks,\u201d Allgood said. \u201cBoth the Governor\u2019s and the Legislature\u2019s support of port deepening and transportation projects have helped make Savannah and Brunswick what they are today. None of this would have been possible without GPA\u2019s leadership team and 1,200 employees whose dedication to superior service is second to none.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

During his presentation, Lynch announced two major e-commerce developments. Noble House, a national furniture supplier, will build a 630,000 square-foot facility to serve the eastern half of the U.S., while home accessories company Best Choice will build 345,000 square feet. These announcements are in addition to 3 million square feet of distribution center space completed within the last year, and 5.2 million square feet currently under construction. Including Thursday\u2019s announcements, this new activity will bring Savannah\u2019s industrial inventory to more than 57 million square feet, of which less than 2 percent is currently available.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s announcements are the result of the strong collaboration of Georgia\u2019s entire maritime community, including GPA, the International Longshoremen\u2019s Association, stevedores, motor carriers, rail and third-party service providers,\u201d Lynch said. \u201cWe thank Noble House and Best Choice and the many other business leaders who have selected Georgia and the Georgia Ports this year. E-commerce is a growing opportunity for Georgia as companies take advantage of cost savings related to landing cargo closer to population centers in the Eastern U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Port-related e-commerce announcements from FY2017 include an 846,000 square-foot distribution center for Wayfair, which will add 150 jobs; and a 753,000 square-foot facility for Tory Burch, bringing another 150 jobs to Georgia.<\/p>\n

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Lynch outlined plans to accommodate record growth and expand new markets. Those plans include:<\/p>\n

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